Syrian man once refugee in So. Fla. continues fight

MIAMI (WSVN) -- A Syrian man who sought refuge in South Florida after leading protests in his country, says he's determined to finish what he started.

Mohammad Al Homsi's city is under attack. "The rockets were coming over us," he said speaking over the phone. Now back in his hometown of Homs, Syria, Homsi sees bombed out buildings and smoked out streets.

The roar of rockets ring in his ears, the gunfire almost constant. "The regime is increasing it's violence day by day," he said. "It's a real war, sir."

A real war between some of the people of Syria and their own president Bashar Al Assad. "He's a killer," said Homsi.

Despite demands from his citizens, Assad refuses to step down. So rebels like Homsi now vow to kill him. "Pretty soon he's going to be dead," Homsi promised.

After fleeing mass death and destruction to come to South Florida, Homsi was so afraid of the Assad regime, he would not let us show his face on TV. But now, back in Syria, he proudly looks at the camera wearing the same camo as the rebel fighters.

Homsi came home to document the causalities of what many now call a full scale civil war. An 8-year-old boy he posed with in one photo was hit by shrapnel while playing in his yard.

Homsi also sent video of Anti-Assad troops learning to use freshly smuggled weapons. They are now better armed then ever, and to counter it. Assad has dipped into his arsenal. The US has reported Assad is now using helicopter gunships to target his civilians.

United Nations monitors have reported the country is so dangerous they are now leaving. But Homsi and the opposition soldiers are not halting their mission. They want the president dead, and, Homsi said, that is a promise, a promise their dictator will soon be killed and democracy will soon come to Syria.

We were hoping to interview Homsi via Skype, but the communications network there is crumbling. He now rarely has access to high-speed Internet.

While we were talking to him over the phone, Homs was being shelled. He said every minute the situation grows more dangerous to be in his city.

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